This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Shoes as conventionally manufactured cannot transform into shoes with varying heel heights or no heel at all. The reason for this problem is the current manufacturing process. Currently high heels are permanently attached to the sole of the shoe. The heels cannot be removed unless they are broken away from the sole. A shoe with a broken high heel is unwearable for any walking distance.
Conversely shoes without heels or low style shoes cannot be transformed into high heels or any other heel height. Currently the manufacturing process does not allow for shoes to be transformed into any style shoe other then what they are. The walking motion of high heel shoes is different than the walking motion of low style shoes. The walking motion of high heel shoes involves putting more weight on the ball of the foot and toes. The toe portion of the shoe comes in contact with the floor surface at the same time as the heel. The downward pressure of the person's weight is thrust down on the ball and toes of the foot.
High heel shoes can only be worn for a limited time due to this said downward pressure on the ball and toes of the foot. A person can only wear high heel shoes for only so many hours. After a time, discomfort sets in. The downward pressure on the ball and toes of the foot cause this discomfort. The person either has to stop walking or take off the high heel shoes. After the person cannot wear the high heel shoes, they have either the choice of changing shoes or removing them and going barefoot.
Also, it is difficult for a person to wear high heel shoes on a bus, or a train, walking across a parking lot, getting in and out of a car, up and down staircases, on a slippery floor, outdoors in the rain or snow, etc. The surface area that comes in contact with the floor or ground of a high heel shoe is very small. The high heel surface area combined with the toe area of the shoe is very small as compared with that of a low style shoe. Also, when walking the downward pressure of the weight on the high heel can be very unstable on a slippery, wet, icy, uneven, or hilly surface. Wearing high heels on any of surfaces can be very difficult or even dangerous.
A high heel is used by people for certain occasions, and a low style shoe is used for other occasions. When a person goes out to a formal affair, they will need to wear high heel shoes. Formal affairs include weddings, concerts, dates, etc. The formal occasions usually include dancing. Women love to dance in high heels. Then, later that night their feet hurt and they cannot continue to wear the high heel shoes. The high heel shoes are taken off because of the discomfort. At the end of a night of dancing you see a lot of women walking around barefoot. The problem being a person has to carry two sets of shoes or walk around barefoot carrying the shoes.
Low style shoes are worn on other occasions. These other occasions usually involve a lot of walking or time spent on ones feet. These other occasions can include work, school, shopping, strolling, etc. The walking motion in a low style shoe involves making an initial contact of the walking surface with the heel. The heel the floor or ground first. The weight is then transferred to the toe portion of the shoe as each step is taken. This is a more natural motion of walking than that of a high heel shoe.
Arch support is required in the normal walking motion within the shoe. This occurs in a normal foot between the ball of the foot and the end of the heel area. There is an arch in a foot that must be supported. In conventional shoe design there is a raised arch in the sole of the shoe to support this natural arch in the foot. A high heel must absorb the downward weight of the person. When standing or walking in high heels the person's weight is concentrated on the central part of the heel and the ball of the foot.
High heel shoes can be worn for only a limited amount of time, but are require at certain occasions. Low style shoes can be worn for a much longer period of time and are worn for other occasions. The problem with conventional shoes is that a person needs two pairs of shoes and this is not always the case. An example of this situation is a person is at work wearing their low style shoes and receives an invitation to go to a formal affair that requires high heel shoes. The person needs to go home or shopping to obtain a pair of high heel shoes.
It would be desirable to have a transformable shoe having a sole that allows different height heels to be detached and/or attached easily.